N20568:159
The new and complete book of martyrs; or, An universal history of martyrdom: being…
The new and complete book of martyrs; or, An universal history of martyrdom: being Fox's Book of martyrs, revised and corrected, with additions and great improvements. : Containing an authentic account of the lives, persecutions and sufferings of the holy martyrs; and the many dreadful persecutions against the Church of Christ in all parts of the world, by pagans, Jews, Turks, papists, and others, from earliest ages of the church to the present period. ... The whole forming at once a general Christian martyrology, and a complete history of persecutions. / By the Rev. Mr. John Fox, M.A. late of Magdalen College, Oxford. ; Now revised, corrected and improved, with many additional articles, relating to the acts and monuments of the church. By Paul Wright, D.D. ; Embellished with forty elegant copper plate engravings. ; In two volumes. Vol. I[-II].The new and complete book of martyrs; or, An universal history of martyrdom: being Fox's Book of marytrs, revised and corrected, with additions and great improvements. : Containing an authentic account of the lives, persecutions and sufferings of the holy martyrs; and the many dreadful persecutions against the Church of Christ in all parts of the world, by pagans, Jews, Turks, papists, and others, from earliest ages of the church to the present period. ... The whole forming at once a general Christian martyrology, and a complete history of persecutions. / By the Rev. Mr. John Fox, M.A. late of Magdalen College, Oxford. ; Now revised, corrected and improved, with many additional articles, relating to the acts and monuments of the church. By Paul Wright, D.D. ; Embellished with forty elegant copper plate engravings. ; In two volumes. Vol. I[-II].
New-York: printed by William Durell, 1794
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
"When I saw myself not able to encounter with the enemies, I craved aid of our country gods; but finding no relief at their hands, and being cooped up by the enemy, I caused those men, whom we call christians, to be sent for; who being mustered, I found a considerable number of them, against whom I was more incensed than I had just cause, as I found afterwards: for, by a marvellous power, they forthwith used their endeavours, not with ammunition, drums, and trumpets, abhorring such preparations and furniture, but only praying unto, and trusting in their God, whom they carry about with them in their consciences. It is therefore to be believed, although we call them wicked men, that they worship God in their hearts; for they, falling prostrate on the ground, prayed, not only for me, but for the army which was also with me, beseeching God to help me in that our extreme want of victuals and fresh water (for we had been five days without water, and in our enemies land, even in the midst of Germany); I say falling upon their faces, they prayed to a God unknown to me, and immediately thereupon fell from heaven a most pleasant and cool shower; but amongst our enemies great store of hail, mixed with thunder and lightning: so that we soon perceived the invincible aid of the most mighty God to be with us therefore we give these men leave to profess christianity, lest, by their prayers, we be punished by the like: and I thereby make myself the author of all the evil that shall ⟨p. 20⟩accrue by the persecution of the christian religion." It appears, that the storm which so miraculously flashed in the faces of the enemy so intimidated them, that part deserted to the Roman army; the rest were with ease defeated, and the revolted provinces were entirely recovered.
THIS affair occasioned the persecution to subside for some time, at least in those parts, immediately under the inspection of the emperor; for we find that it soon after raged in France, particularly at Lyons, where the tortures, to which many of the christians were put, almost exceed the powers of description. The aspersions, false accusations, taunts, threats, revilings, menacings, which were but forerunners to all manner of punishments, torments, and painful deaths; such as being banished, plundered, hanged, burnt, &c. and even the servants and slave of opulent christians were racked and tortured, to make them accuse their masters and employers. The principal of these martyrs were the following: